Would you get ready in public?

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On the train, in front of a camera, in your friend’s bedroom or even at your desk?

Last Tuesday I was sitting on the train, laughing to myself as I listened to the second Adam Buxton interview with Louis Theroux for his podcast, The Adam Buxton Podcast. I will just quickly point out I don’t normally catch the train to work but was on my way to an excursion. This, is an important addition to the piece because they started talking about people doing their makeup on the train and the whole thing just seemed incredibly fortuitous but I’ll get on with the story…

The conversation began with Adam asking Louis (I’m going to first names here) about what he thought about the idea of people doing makeup on the train. Adam Buxton who I don’t know much about and is simply the veichhcle for me to listen to more Louis, talks about the theatre of makeup and that you wouldn’t prepare your makeup on the stage in front of the audience. This then made me think of YouTube and that the process is more of an attraction to content to the finished product.

Are these videos on YouTube so popular because they break down illusions, teach people or because the viewers enjoy the conversation? These videos are somewhat reminiscent of getting ready in your bedroom before a party or sitting on the end of your bed whilst your Mum gets ready. And, as a result, make you feel like you’re ‘in’ on something. A feeling which we all seem to covet.

I know people who turn their nose up at those who don’t get ready in the privacy of their own space, or a bathroom. I fear the idea that my vanity could be exposed but will happily comb my hair, or, wait for it, apply deodorant with stealth at my desk.

We do live in a society where the personal is public, we love to see stars without makeup and transformation; whether they be of a home or a person. Even the open beauty threading places make the personal public. And you can SnapChat as much as you like.

What happens when the camera stops rolling or is irrelevant. And as for the finished look? Not surprisingly these are reserved for Instagram. The curated space, made for the finished product.